Resilient tire for automobile and other vehicle wheels.



J. J. A. MILLER.

RESILIENT TIRE FOR AUTOMOBILE AND OTHER VEHICLE WHEELS.

APPLICATION TILED AUGrfi, 1913.

Patented July 28,1914/ 2 SHEETSSHEET 1. V

hen/Z0 /W% Jdwm 'FHI: NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITIKI, WASHINGTON. D. C. I

J. J. A. MILLER. RBSILIENT TIRE FOR AUTOMOBILE AND OTHER VEHICLE WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1913.

9 Jm r Y 2. u m m/ m M Jfl i ww W \w n M N 5 m m, W mNwNmfikvN 1 NW MN QNJ THE NORRIS PF'IERSIO, PHDTOJ-ITHO WASHINGTON. D.

'anduseful Resilient and other Vehicle Wheels, of which the fol-,

JOHN J. A. MILLER, or; DENVER, COLORADO.

RnsILInN'r TIRE ron AUTOMOBILE AND OTHER vnnIcLnwHEELs.

Sp c m aw-1 Patented July 28, 1914.

Application filedAugust 5, 1913. Seria1 No. 783,087.

To all whom it may concern: I f

Be it known that I, J OH J. A- MILLER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new Tire for Automobile lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in resilient tires for automobile wheels; and the objects of my invention are: First, to pro vide a demountable tire composed of aplurality of concentric metal plates connected to form endless tire sections. And second, to provide a tire for automobiles and other"vehicles, comprising a demountable rim, to which is secured a plurality of concentric, continuous resilient metal bands, each of which consists of a plurality of segments so connected to each other as to have a sliding movement one upon the other, at their joint or points of connection, and so connected to the rim as to 'be capable of lateral expansion under pressure. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: f t

Figure 1, is a side view of a portion of a wheel, constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is an enlarged-transverse sectional view of the same, on the line 2 -2 of Fig.1. Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the tire, the telly band and the rim, showing the manner in which the tire sections are connected to each other and to the rim. Fig. 4, is a fragmental plan view showing the end portions of two of he outside tire sections. Fig. 5, is a similar view of two of the inner tire sections. f Similar letters of referencerefer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,-The numeral 1 designates the hub; 2 designates the spokes; and 3 the telly of an automobile wheel, which parts may be made of any suitable material and of any design in common use, as the wheel in itself does not form any part of my present invention, but. is a. 00- operating part of it. Upon the telly is secured a-dlvlded metal band 4, having parallel annular flanges .5,

which project from its opposite side edges a suitable distance, and which form bearing members for a tire rim 6, the division in the band being shown at P, comprises a flat metal Fig, 3. This rim ndless band, the edges of which are inwardly rolled, as shown manner.

at 7. On the inner face of the rim and ad: acent to its rolled edges, are formed annular shoulders 8, and besides resting on the flanges 5, of the telly band, the rim 6 also rests upon the tread 1 portions of divided rings 9, which are L-shaped in cross section, the vertical members thereofresting against the telly and felly band, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 These divided rings 9e are sprung in behind theshoulders 8, of the rim 6, and their vertical members are provided with a plurality of bolt holes through which bolts 10 are passed, and these bolts and rings.

serveto secure the any band in place, and the r ngs also serve to secure the tire rim in place, and so as to prevent lateral movement of the same, the division-in each ring occur I ring" at one of the bolt holes, as shown at 11 in Fig. 1. The divided band 4 can be sllghtly, collapsed and sprung within the rim 6 before being placed uponthe felly -Upon' the rim 6 is secured the improved resilient tire, which is made up of a plurality of concentric metal bands each of which is composed of a plurality of segmental plates or sections, which are arranged in the 1301- lowmgmanner: Centrally upon the rim 6.

rests a spring metal saddle 12, which is of the form in cross section shown in Fig. 2, and comprises the central portion which semicircular in cross section, and whichterminates in inwardly extending wings or fiangesl3, which rest upon the rim 6." This saddle forms a trough-like support for a resilient ring 14,which may be of rope, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3 though" any-0th( suitable material may be employed.

Resting upon this resilient ring 1 1, and

also upon the rime, is the first cushioning member 15, which, as well as the other cush ioning members, is made up of a plurality of segmental plates or sections, six being 1llustrated',,as shownin Flg. 1, and these sections are all secured together, and to the rim 6, by bolts 20, .which extend throughthe various plates, and loosely through holes in the rim 6, so asto extend into the spacebe tween the said rim 6 andthe telly band, as; clearlyshown by Figs. 2and 3. These bolts are equi-distant, and are so spaced that a.

bolt extendsthrough each end ofa segmene tal plate, and one midway of the length of the same, and the inner ends of these bolts are provided with nuts 21, which may be secured against displacement, in any suitable under pressure. The

ber 19, so that pressure upon the outerv or traction member is transm tted successively to theinner cushioningmembers, Between each two 'members are interposed continuous supplemental cush oning. members 22,

which. are nade up of segmental plates in like manner asthe other members, and are substantially of the form of aninverted U; in cross section, and on the bolts 20 between the main and supplemental cushion. members are interposed, blocks 23 of, rubber, leather, or any other suitable resilient material. The main and supplemental segv mental plates of one member alternate with those of the next member. Or in other words, the bolt which passes through the overlapping ends of the'main and supple mental plates of one member, passes through the central portions of the plates of the next member, and the bolt holes 24 in the I ends; of the various segmental plates are elongated as shown, to permit the plates to slide one upon the other under, load pres: sure. By alternating the plates constituting the severalmembers of the tire, the lateral stress on the bolts is equalized around the tire, and the bolts thereforewill always extend in radiallines, and not at a tangent to the axis of the wheeh The bolt holes 24 extend through the bot,-, toms of depressions. 25, which receive the heads ofthebolts, so that they will lie flush with the outer face of the tread or tract-ion member 19, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The inner members 15, 16, 1'? andi1 8, are secured to the rim by the bolts 20, only, and their edges rest upon and have a lateralsliding movement on the said rim, when the plates are compressed plates constituting the traction member 19, however, must be bolted to the rim along their edges, but so as to allow them to expand laterally, and also in the direction of their length, as will be understood. To accomplish this, theplates 26 of the traction member 19, are provided along. their edges with bolt slots 27-, which incline at an angle of forty-five degrees, those on the right ofthe center of a plate inclining towardthe right, while those on the left ofthe center of the plate incline but they are of rattling ot the same, as

toward the left, and bolts 28 are passed and thus prevent the ment above referredsto. These bolts 28 also form additional means for securing the rim to the rings 9. WVithin the rolled edges 7 of the rim, are housed rings 30, of any suitableresilient material, such as cord or rub-e ber, which, will not interfere with the lateralexpansion. of the plates 26; and these rings 30 prevent either mud or water from working under, the edges of the said plates. The plates 26 may be faced with serrated plates31, asshown in Fig. 2, which are for the purposeof preventing skidding. As the wheel turns, the, bolts. 2Q,are pressed in successively, and their inner/ends, having the n uts 2 l,jslide through the holes in the rim 6, and into the space between the rim and the b andt, and if the overlapping ends of two of the traction plates 26, are in contact with the road, these plates andthe inner plates, together with the bolt, are pressed in, and the ends of the outer or traction plate, andthose of th slidej one uponthe other, while the plates of the members 16 and 18,"having the pressure attheir centers, spreador slide on their opposite ends, and allfof the plates expand laterally. VVhenthe next bolt contacts with the ground, the outer plates and thoseof the members17 and15, being under pressure at their centers, eX-pandtoward their opposite ends, while the ends of the plates of the members 18 andj16, being under pressure, slide upon each other, and so on in like manner throughout the extent of the wheel.

The pressure is transmitted from the plates of, one'member, to those of the next member, until it is received by the resilient ring 1 1 and its saddle 13, which form the last shockabsorbing element of the tire. The blocks 23, holdthe plates in contact, and prevent The tire illustrated, comprises five members, together, withthe supplemental cushions, buta greater or'wless number may be employed, and each member may be composed of any practicablenumber of segmentalplates.

Having. escribedmy invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent,- is:

1. In a resilient tire, the combination with a rim, of a plurality ofspaced circular concentric members having annular corrugations, said members being made up of a plurality of segmental plates, and bolts which extend loosely through said plates and through said rim, having retaining means,

such as nuts, on their inner ends, the corrue, members 15 and 17,

wellas of the bolts.

gations of one member bearing upon the member just beyond. 2. In a resilient tire, the combination with a rim, of a plurality of spaced concentric circular members having annular corrugations, those of one member bearing against the adjoining member, said members being made of a plurality of segmental plates substantially semi-circular in cross section, bolts extending through the outer plates along their edges, and through therim, whichpermit lateral and endwise expansion of the plates, and radially-disposed bolts which extend through the arch portions of said plates and loosely through the rim, and having nuts on their inner ends.

3. In a resilient tire, the combination with a rim, of a plurality of spaced circular corrugated concentric members, and a plurality of interposed supplemental members, each comprising a plurality of segmental plates substantially semi-circular in cross section, which overlap at their ends, bolts extending loosely through said overlapping ends and midway of the length of the plates, said bolts being slidably mounted in the rim and having nuts on their inner ends, there being inclined slots adjacent to the edges of the outer plates, and bolts which extendthrough said slots and through the rim.

4. In a resilient tire, the combination with a rim, of a plurality of concentric continu ous members substantially semi-circular in cross section, each of which comprises a plurality of segmental corrugated plates, the corrugations of one plate engaging the adjoining plate, the edges of said plates resting upon the rim, annular cushioning rings interposed between each two of said members, each comprising a plu-v rality of segmental plates bow-shaped in cross section, said rings lying between the corrugations of said members, a resilient saddle on the rim, a resilient cushioning element in said saddle, a resilient band bowshaped in cross section which rests on said cushioning element, and on the rim, and supports the innermost cushioning ring, an outer member comprising a plurality of plates which overlap at their ends and are provided with slots adjacent to their edge-s, bolts which extend through all of the tire members and loosely through the rim, bolts which extend through the slots in the edges of the outer plates, and resilient blocks on the first mentioned bolts between the plates.

5. In a resilient tire, the combination with a rim, of a plurality of tire 1nembers,,each made up of corrugated plates which are substantially semi-circular in cross section, and

, overlap at their ends, an outer member comprising a plurality of overlapping plates,

- plate,

cushion rings interposed between said tire members, which are also, made of plates which overlap at their ends, their bearing edges lying between the corrugations of the the plates of one member and its cushioning ring, alternating with those of r the adjoining member and its cushion ring, radial bolts slidable in said rim, which pass alternately through the overlapping ends of one set of plates and the centers of the adjoining plates, resilient blocks on the bolts between each cushion ring and the next adjoining member, and a continuous resilient support for the innermost cushioning ring, an endless resilient saddle on the rim, and a resilient element therein which engages said resilient support, and means for securing the edges of the outer plates to the rim so as to permit of lateral and endwise expansion of said plates.

6. Ina resilient tire, the-combination with c a rim having rolled edges, and a plurality of cushioning elements resting thereon, which are made up of segmental corrugated plates substantially semi-circular in cross section, of an outer member comprising a plurality of plates which overlap at their ends, said ends being provided with bolt slots, the edges of said plates extending beneath the rolled edges of said rim and being provided with inclined slots, bolts extending through said slots and through the rim, re-

silient endless elements in said rolled edges,

which rest on the edges of said plates, bolts which extend through the slotted overlapping ends of said plates, and through the cushioning elements, bolts extending centrally. through said plates and cushioning elements, said bolts being slidable in said rim and having stops on their inner ends, and resilient blocks on said bolts between the cushioning elements.

7 In a resilient tire, the combination with a rim having concentric cushion rings each comprising a plurality of overlapping sections, of an outer or traction member comprising sections having slotted overlapping ends, bolts extending through said slotted ends, and through the inner sections, bolts which pass centrally through the said plates and inner sections, said bolts being slidable in the rim and having stops on their inner ends, and means for securing said plates to the rim along their edges so as to permit lateral and endwise expansion of the plates.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. A. MILLER.

Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. FowLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

Washington, D. 0." 

